Four Digital Trends Redefining Fitness in 2014

David Tao
, ContributorI write about the intersection of fitness and business.Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Is it tougher to pack that healthy lunch than it was a month ago? Are your trips to the gym experiencing a sudden February decline? The New Year isn’t so new anymore, and that means health and fitness goals might already have hit some (potentially delicious) snags. But fear not: You’re probably not alone for a resolution check-in, and as with all things in health and wellness, it’s never too late to get back in the game. All you need is a little extra motivation (and for the socially connected, a bit of online accountability won't hurt).

Fortunately, we’re in the midst of a digital revolution when it comes to all things exercise, and these four trends are making it easier than ever to get moving and stay on track — through 2014 and beyond. Miss any that are impacting your wellness? Sound off in the comments below.

CrossFit to Fight (Photo credit: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)

Fitness Tracking Goes Mainstream (But Still Lacks a Clear Winner). Fitbit, Nike, and Jawbone all released new wearable trackers in the second half of 2013, and there’s no shortage of other companies fighting for prime real estate on our wrists, ankles, and waistbands. And the information they record — from steps taken to sleep tracked — is more socially compatible than ever, so syncing your fitness data and sharing it with your networked world are becoming one in the same function. But that doesn’t mean we’re much closer to crowning a Quantified Self winner, a marketplace development we probably can’t expect for years to come.

Online Competitions Turn Fans into Athletes. Whether you’re a “Fran” fanatic or the ultimate “WOD” hater, it’s increasingly tough to deny CrossFit’s maturation from fringe fad to mainstream fitness juggernaut. (Many would happily call it the world’s most workout-conscious cult.) A key component of that growth has been the CrossFit Open, the worldwide qualifying round leading up to July’s Reebok CrossFit Games. Last year saw over 140,000 competitors post their scores and workout videos to an online leaderboard, and this year’s Open — which starts February 27th — is on pace to easily eclipse that mark. Expect more sports to follow suit this year by giving fans a chance to test themselves against the best (albeit on a much smaller scale).

Exercisers Fight Back on Body Image. It all started last Fall when a series of online rants and criticisms brought the “thigh gap” to the heights of Internet debate (which is to say, not always high-brow). But instead of just deflecting criticism, the fitness community rallied around substantive thighs, with numerous trainers and athletes taking to the blogosphere to defend their right to bear legs of all shapes and sizes. A "#closethethighgap" hash tag trended throughout January, signaling a new culture wherein the fitness community — and the public at large — simply won’t take body shaming lying down.

Stream Your Trainer. While virtual coaching is nothing new, more and more platforms are making it easy to check yoga form and swap barbell wisdom with qualified experts around the globe. Galactic Internet
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Google recently upped the ante, piggybacking off their existing Hangouts to create Helpouts, a platform where users can pay for half or full hour sessions with a plethora of experts. The company has pushed “Fitness and Nutrition” as one of Helpouts’ main verticals, and expect more trainers to head online with this easily promotable, nearly bug-free interface.